Swarm of microprobes to head for Jupiter

Toronto: A swarm of tiny probes each with a different sensor could be fired into the clouds of Jupiter and grab data as they fall before burning up in the gas giant planet's atmosphere, scientists say.

The probes would last an estimated 15 minutes, according to planetary scientists writing in the International Journal Space Science and Engineering.

Transmitting 20 megabits of data over fifteen minutes would be sufficient to allow scientists to get a picture of a large part of the atmosphere of the planet.

Orbiting and flyby probes have provided astronomers with a lot of information about the "surface" of the outer planets and the moons that orbit those planets.

Much smaller probes, made possible by the miniaturisation of electronics, cameras and other instruments, would survive the fall through Jupiter's atmosphere for much longer without a parachute, according to John Moores of the Centre for Research in the Earth and Space Sciences (CRESS), at York University, Toronto.

"Our concept shows that for a small enough probe, you can strip off the parachute and still get enough time in the atmosphere to take meaningful data while keeping the relay close and the data rate high," Moores said.

Tiny satellites that weigh less than one kilogramme, known as micro, nano and cube satellites, are already used in Earth orbit for a wide range of applications. There are limitations to how much solar power such small satellites can gather and regulations preclude the use ofplutonium-powered thermoelectric generators.

The team suggests that the presence of the European Space Agency (ESA) JUICE orbiter in the Jovian system set to begin in 2030 might facilitate a tandem mission to carry micro satellites to the planet.

The mission platform has been named SMARA for SMAll Reconnaissance of Atmospheres and gets its name from the wind-borne fruit of the maple tree, the samara.

Additionally, Jupiter is under constant bombardment from small bodies, such as asteroids, and again, understanding its atmosphere would shed new light on the nature of these.

The planet's atmosphere may even represent a historical record of impacts again providing information about the composition of the solar system.